


Childhood

by LuciustheDragon



Category: Fire Emblem: If | Fire Emblem: Fates
Genre: Elise is the MVP, Gen, Just a short little thing, Reminiscing a bit, flower crowns are involved, references to Jakob's childhood
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-15
Updated: 2017-08-15
Packaged: 2018-12-15 21:58:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 562
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11815008
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LuciustheDragon/pseuds/LuciustheDragon
Summary: It's just a little thing I was thinking about. Hope you enjoy.





	Childhood

**Author's Note:**

> It's just a little thing I was thinking about. Hope you enjoy.

The crack of a whip on his backside, the inability to cling at the fabric of his parents as they left him, the hole gnawing at him from hunger of food and affection, collapsing against the cold stone of castle Krakenberg… That was his childhood. When he sees the girl creating flower crowns near camp, Jakob is once again a lost soul clinging to the merciless metal of the fence and not understanding why he was here and all the other children were out there with expressions his parents never taught him about. Jakob catches her eye, and a chill shoots through his spine. He was only slightly less horrified than during the time he was admonished for dropping a tray of tea and biscuits years ago. But, and it takes him a moment to register this, the girl just smiles at him and Jakob is not used to that kind of simplicity. She springs up from her seat in the field of bluebells, a wreath of flowers in tow. The girl’s pigtails bounce jubilantly as she skips and Jakob finally realises that she is approaching him.

“Hey, Jakob! Look what I made!”

He wants to run away. Her light scares him, and Jakob knows that he can only blemish that purity. He wants to run away, but he stays planted to the earth like the grass and the wildflowers.

“Jakob? Hellooooo? Did you hear me?” Elise shouts, forcing him out of his thoughts, his fear.

“Ah, Princess Elise. Forgive me. I was a little lost in thought. What a lovely flower crown you have there.” Elise glows at the praise. She is radiant with happiness, and Jakob begrudgingly admits to himself that it’s contagious.

“Thanks, Jakob! Oh, if you sit down, I can give you a surprise.” He decides to humor the princess. He tells himself it is because he has nothing else to do, that master Corrin would not approve of Jakob turning down the princess’s request. Really, he has become a child again, desperate for something, anything to melt away the cold. And so he sits in the sun on this warm spring day with an even warmer princess. He sits, and the cold starts to melt, bit by bit.

Even with Jakob seated, Elise has to stand up to give him the surprise, which wasn’t even much of a surprise at all. With a gentle touch, she sets the crown of bluebells upon Jakob’s head.

“Heh! You look so pretty, Jakob!” He can’t suppress his smile at Elise’s unabashed simplicity. Perhaps he needs that simplicity.

“Thank you.” Jakob whispers. He begins to pick some bluebells. He tries (and fails) to weave them together. Elise doesn’t laugh. Elise doesn’t glare at him with cold, familiar disappointment. She sits beside him, guides his hands until he can do it himself. He continues until the crown is complete.

“Your head, milady.” The princess leans closer to Jakob, and he places the flower crown upon her head. She looks up, and Jakob thinks she is the most beautiful person he will ever know.

“Thank you.” Jakob says again. Elise cocks her head to the side, confused.

“Huh? Why are you thanking me? I should be the one thanking YOU!” Jakob doesn’t answer, and when Elise continues to pressure him into answering, he merely chuckles to himself. For childhood, he thinks to himself.

 


End file.
